St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-06-25

NEW YORK, June 17.-Save for the initial
performance of "Hypocrite" at the Four
teenth-street Theatre and Bijou Fernandez's
matinee benefit at the Lyceum, last week
was truly uneventful in theatrical sense.
Bijou Fernandez is beyond a doubt the
brightest child actress of our day know of
only one youngster who approaches her in
precocity, and he is Tomme Russell, that re-
variable brother of gentle Annie Russell
and dainty Marion Russell. Both Tommie
and Bijou have worked and risen together as
juvenile actors but of the two Bijou has
been the more sincerely, and am afraid the
more harmfully. complimented. She is a
bright mite anyway, and probably there was
no one at the Lyceum that hot Tuesday after
noon who did not sympathize with her in
her effort and wish that better medium
had been offered her for the display of her
budding talent. She appeared in a new
piece called Peggy, the Fishertnan's
Daughter" I have seen no more
commonplace nor weaker play during
the season, and that is saying good DEAL
for this has been year-a sad, sad year-of
failures. But, all handicapped as she was,
the little girl entered into the task of
making Peggy an acceptable characterize
ton with a youthful vim and enthusiasm
that might well have done credit to many
an older head. In a few scenes of the play
she was winsome sprightly, and entirely at
ease; her most conspicuous fault was in her
unnatural lack of pathos, of which the all-
thor had Internationally and dsingenuously
interjected a depressing amount. The house
was small, but there were few hands that
did not pat in approval of the little girls
courageous effort. The experiment, for
such it was, seems to have encouraged Mrs.
Fernandez, for learn that next week Bijou
Fernandez will be regularly introduced as
star at Miners Peoples Theatre on the Bow
cry. That is at best not wholesome place
for little girl to play in, but l suppose she
can hardly choose her bookings in this day
of so many stars and so few successes.
"Hypocrite," as to which l forecasted last
week, is from my point of view dead fail
ure. At the Fourteenth-street it has had
every advantage that its author could de-
sire Actors of repute had been hired for
the leading roles, and the assignment of the
minor characters even was carefully, almost |
extensively, made. Manager Rosenquest
had skillfully worked up public interest a
month prior to the production, and he had
dlscreetly kept in the background the names
of the authors John A. Stevens and Law
renee Marston. Three or four new scenes
had been painted at considerable expense,
and everybody in the cast wore rich and new
costumes In short, there was no possible
reason why "Hypocrite' should fail, if its
success had depended merely upon the
completeness of its staging. That it did
miss fire, however, cannot be denied land this
failure is directly attributable to its want of
literary finish, its defective plot, its awkward
Climaxes, and its untrue sentiment
Marston really wrote "Hypocrite." The
story had been running in his mind so he
told me not long ago, some two or three
years. At odd intervals during his tour of
the country he wrote the dialogue, and when
he got here Rosenquest was the first to en-
courage it. do not know how Stevens came
to collaborate with him, but do know that
he in some manner purchased an interest in
the play and made sufficient alterations to
justify him in linking his name with Mars
tons as part author. The first nights house
was crowded, and, as the profession was
beautifully represented, there were plenty
Of plaudts 1t is strange fact but never
theless true one, that the appreciation of
an audience composed in the main of
actors and actresses is generally mis-
leading. 1t was so with "Hypocrite." The
most turgid situations, all the clap-trap
sentiment, all the familiar melodramatic
devices were rewarded with showers of ap-
plause, and for a time one would have
fancied that he was assisting at the premier
of Theatre Franchise success. The critics
kept their feet as we'll as their heads, how
ever and the next day "Hypocrite" was de-
servedly scored through the columns of the
unimpressionable dailes. The failure is re-
GREETED, at least on Rosenquests account. for
he had used money freely and wasted great
deal of enthusiasm in preparing for the pro-
duction. He is paying Osmond Tearle $3.50
a week, and has contract with that actor
for four weeks at least. Annie Robe, who
plays the suffering wife, is drawing
500 or so, and Herbert Kelley, for
portraying the most improbable sort
of villain gets S125 week. The
other people in the company are paid
WELL If Rosenquest shall
clear expenses on the production he will do
well, so his friends think; but there has
been nothing in the experiment so far to
justify him in arranging for road tour OF
the piece, as was his original intention.
Just now a stalwart effort is being made to
lick the drama into some kind of shape. l
have not ventured near the house since the
first night, but I am told that all the altera-
lions made by Stevens in Marstons work
have been disregarded, and that "Hypo-
critic" is now being played pretty nearly as
the young Chicagoan wrote it."
Light opera retains its protitableness as
summer attraction with us. McCaull is
making money and friends by his excellent
"Falka' tits run ended tonight, by the way)
Rudolph Aronson's 'Erminie' at the Casino
continues to draw big houses, and Gustav
Ambergs experiment up at Terrace Garden
with German comic opera, and Zlmaler
Modjeska as its star, has done well for
him. Zimaier has caught on in quiet sort
Of way. She's not young soubrette but
she is me rry actress and a good ,
singer 1 was told last night by, one who
should know that she is the wife OF the
actress Modeska's first husband; but 1t
would not be well to swear by that state
nent. ,
The Fifth-avenue, Days, Harrigan's
Thalia, Academy and Metropolitan are dark
The Standard has been taken possession OF
~ Japanesejuggling troupe. Dockstader's